Life is wonderful, amazing, frustrating, sad, funny, and all the things in between. It’s been that way for thousands of years and over time there have been profound, uplifting, encouraging, supportive and truly helpful words written about living greatly.

There’s much we can learn from the wisdom of the ages and today I’d like to share 55 inspiring, thought provoking and uplifting words from the past 2000 years on the art of living, growing and changing and staying happy while you do it.

1. All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it. ~ Samuel Butler

2. Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life–learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.~ Robert Fulghum

3. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. ~ William James

4. Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently, but life itself would be different. ~ Katherine Mansfield

5. You can play small to fit in, or you can be your beautiful, amazing self. But you can’t be both. – Elle Sommer

6. From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. ~ Arthur Ashe

7. The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds, and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding accuracy. ~ Florence Scovel Shinn

8 Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t. ~ Richard Bach

9. A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. ~ George Bernard Shaw

11. We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ E. M. Forster

12. Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I not events have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. ~ Groucho Marx

13. Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don’t even remember leaving open. ~ Rose Lane

14. The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts and we grow happier as we grow older. ~ William Lyon Phelps

15. If you want to be valued, first value yourself. If you want to be respected, first respect yourself. If you want to be loved, first love yourself. – Elle Sommer

16. Getting what you go after is success; but liking it while you are getting it is happiness. ~ Bertha Damon

17. Happiness consists not in having, but of being, not of possessing, but of enjoying. It is the warm glow of a heart at peace with itself. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

19. Happiness is not found by searching for it, because you find it only when you realize you already have it. ~ David Charles

20. The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature. ~ Marcus Aurelius

21. If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work. ~ Thich Nhat Han

22. It is only possible to live happily ever-after on a day to day basis. ~ Margaret Bonnano

23. Make one person happy each day and in forty years you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a little time at least. ~ Charley Willey

24. Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

25. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life. ~ Omar Khayyam.

26. It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. ~ Charles Spurgeon

27. Happiness depends upon ourselves. ~ Aristotle

28. Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all. ~ Ovid

29. All you really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. ~ Charles Schulz

30. The biggest disease this day and age is that of people feeling unloved. ~ Unknown

53. The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness. ~ Lao Tzu

54. The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself. ~ C. JoyBell C.

55. Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it. ~ Andy Rooney

I had fun coming up with these wonderful quotes. Do you have a favourite, or one I haven’t included that you love? Share in the comments below, I’d love to hear what it is.

Encourage one another.

Love Elle

xox

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Elle Sommer is the author and founder of Live Purposefully Now, a website focused on sharing the insights and ancient wisdom that have collectively changed her life, in the desire to make a meaningful impact on yours.
Trained at Coach U and having completed a year long training with Bob Proctor, her mission is to encourage and inspire others to build the business, relationships and life they want. Get your free instant access to Success Simplified ebook and get the tips, techniques and secrets of successfully living the life you want.

What a way to pick up my morning. I recommend to everyone to start their day reading your posts.. They are inspiring, uplifting and just simply put a bounce in your step. Thanks for that Elle. You are amazing 🙂

Hi Elle,
That’s an amazing gallery of quotes.You’ve done it once again with your painstaking selection of wisdom “buds”.Inspired me immensely.
I like this one the most :-
“We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. ~ Max Depree”
And what I interpret this is…………
You are capable of much more than you presently conceive yourself to be.Stop selling yourself short.Stop underestimating yourself.Stop looking over your shoulder when you are running the race;you only discourage yourself doing that . You don’t have to compete with anyone because competition is relative ,and limiting.You only need to improve your own performance, only focus on bettering your own timing,your capabilities.Because this involves you alone,it is absolute, it is peaceful,and it is empowering.
Thanks
Mona

Thanks for these wonderful quotes. They were all amazing, but the one that stuck out the most to me was the boomerang one. I believe it is true that everything we do will eventually come back to us in some way or another.

The George Bernard Shaw one about making mistakes is more honorable then doing nothing also rang true in my ears. Great things that were accomplished in this world weren’t done by people who didn’t try to do anything.

These quotes are good reminders to live well so one doesn’t have any major regrets on their deathbed : D.

I love the George Bernard Shaw one myself Sebastian. There’s so much wisdom in these words. I think if we just chose a couple of them and lived by them for a month, great things would materialize. What do you think? 🙂

Thank you for the quotes on happiness, love and growth, Elle. Posts like this naturally put us in a motivated and inspired mood. So many gems – #11 by EM Foerster is my absolute favorite. A good reminder that we should let go of the life we have planned and be open to the circumstances that shows up in our life.

I have 2 quotes that are hands down my favorites. The first was said by my pastor several years ago, It spoke volumes to me and I often reflect back on it. The second I saw on my sister in Christ, mentor, and dear friends Facebook. Although I do not know the person who originally said it, it speaks of so much truth on what’s really important in this journey called life. I hope they speak to your heart as loudly and profoundly as they do mine!

1. When you wait for someone to be the wind beneath your wings, they end up only being an anchor in your boat. – Pastor Tommy Barnett

2. How you walk with the broken speaks louder than how you sit with the great. – Author Unknown